Ball bat



Sept. v2 3 1924.

A J. H. LANGFORD :BALL BAT F11-ed Aug.' 23. 1921 Patented Sept. 23, 1924,

JOHN HENRY LANeros-D, or

IMPERIAL, IENNSYLVANIA.V

BALL BAT.

Application led August 23, 1921. Serial No. 494,626.

To @ZZ 'whom t may concern.'

Beitknown tha-tI, JOHN H. LANGFORD, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Imperial, in the county of Allegheny and 5 lState of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ball Bats, of which the following is a specification.

This invention' relates in base ball bats.

The primary object of this invention is the provision of a base ball bat capable of absorbing shock incident to contact with a base ball.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a base ball bat comprising a vpair of sections resiliently connected in a novel manner for absorbing shock incident to hitting a base ball, thereby aiding in the 20 preservation of the bat, as well as prevent'- ing injury to a batters hands.

f Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course f the following detailed description. Y

25 In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, and in, which similar referencev characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the in proved base ball bat.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary end sectional view of the ball bat.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary enlarged cross sectional view showing the resilient connecting details of the improved hat, and taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 4.

Figure 4 is a transverse cross sectional view taken through several of the details illustrated in Figure 3.

Inthe drawing, of illustration is shown the preferred ernbodiment of my invention, the letter A designates the improved bat, including a hand engaging section B, and a ball engaging or battingsection C; said sections B and C adjustably maintained in' detachable resilient relation by the improvedconne'ction D.

The hand engaging'section B preferably includes but little over one third of the total length of the bat A, the section C coniprising the remaining length. The section B is axially provided with the square bore or aperture 10, opening out into a depression 11 upon the extreme end surface 12 of the hand engaging section B.

to improvements wherein for the purpose The sections B and C are turned adjacent their abutting ends to provide the circumferential grooves 1li and 15 for the reception ofthe ferrules or casings 16 and 17 re spectively. The casing 1G adapted for connection over the groove 1-1, comprises abase plate 18, having the circumfcrentially outstanding flange 19 thereon, for litting into the groove 14;, whereby the external surface of the flange 19 lies'iiush with the external circumferential surface ofthe bat B. The base 18 is centrally provided with an aperture 20, for alignment with the bore of section B. The base 18 is furthermore vided with the upstanding circumferential portion 21, extending opposite in direction to the flange 19, and having the arcuate seating depression 22 therein.

VThe ferrule 17, comprises a base plate 25 for overlying the end of the section C, which is in abutting relation. with respect to the section'B, said base 25 having the circumferentially outstanding flange 2b' thereon, for engaging in the groove of the section C, whereby the external surface of the flange 26 may lie flush with the external surface of the section C. It is preferred, that the flange 26 be relatively longer than the flange 19 of ferrule 16, adapted to Vreceive detachable screw elements 27 or the like, for the purpose of detachably maintaining the ferrule 17v in secure relation over an end of the section C. The base is centrally provided with the arcuate socket 29, extending away from the section C, and having an aperture 30 outletting from this `socket 29, and for a purpose Vto be subsequently set forth.

A ball 31 is preferably provided for rcception within the socket 29 and having a stem 32 detachably connected thereto, and adapted for extending through the aperture 30 in said socket 29. rlhe stem 32 is preferably square in cross section, or of other polygonal cross section, and having ascrew threaded end 33.

In assembling, the sections B and C are placed in position to form the back structure A having' the ferrules 16 and 17 facing each other. In this position, a resilient ring 35, circular in cross section is provided, for disposition intermediate the bases 18 and 25 of the ferrules 16 and 1'?, and seating in the Adepressions 22 and 36 provided, respectively `in said bases. The polygonal shank 32 eX- tending from the aperture 30 of socket 29 is pro-l slidably disposed through theaxial bore 10 in the section B; the screw threaded end 33 projecting outwardly into the depression 11. A Spanner wrench actuated nut 38, or other adjustable element, is provided for engaging the screw threaded end 33 and for entirely seating within the depression 11 provided in the end surface 12 of the hand engaging p01'- tion B.

From the foregoing, it can be seen that as the nut 38 is adjusted, the ball 81 will be drawn toward the section B, and due to the socket connection 29, the, sections B and C will be longitudinally and relatively drawn together for clamping the resilient ring therebetween. When so clamped together, the ring 35 maintains the bases 18 and 25 of the ferrules 16 and 17 in spaced relation for shock absorbing purposes.

A batter using the ordinary base ball bat is compelled to carefully adjust the bat in his hand, in order to position the grain of the Wood, of which the bat is constructed, parallel to the line of the pitched ball, in order to prevent splitting of the bat when contacting the ball. lVith the improved bat herein described, the batter need not necessarily line the grain upto assume a predetermined position With respect to the pitched ball, since when the ball contacts the bat end G, the ring 35 Will automatically absorb any shock incident to contact of the bat With the ball. In like manner, the ring 35 absorbs all shock, or vibration resulting from hitting the ball, thus preventing injury to the hands or wrists of the batter.

Various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be made to the form of the invention herein shown and described,

ywithout departing from the spiritof the inventionV or the scope of the claims.

I claim: j

1. A ball bat comprising a hand engaging section land a ball hitting section; a resilient ring, and means carried by one section extending through the other section for exterior adjustment to clamp said ring intermediate the abutting ends of the sections.

2. A ball bat comprising a hand engaging section and a ball hitting section, and ball and socket joint connecting means for said sections including securing means extending exteriorly of one of said sections for permitting adjustment of the securing means from a'point exteriorly of the last mentioned section.

3. A ball bat, comprising a pair of sections, one section having an axial aperture therethrough, ball and socket means for oonnecting said sections including a stem slidable in the axial aperture in said sect-ion to project externally of the same, and a lint engaging the external projecting portion of said Stem for adjustment thereon for relative positioning ot' said sections.

4t. A ball bat, comprising a pair of sections, ferrules over the abutting ends of said sections, resilient means for engagement between the ferrules, and means adjustable exteriorly of the bat sections for relative movement of said sections to permit clamping of said resilient means therebetween.

A ball bat, comprising in combination a pair of sections, resilient means intermediate the abutting ends of said sections, fastener means pivotally mounted on one abutting end of one of said sections and extending through the other of said sections and securing means adjustably engaged with the extended end of said fastener means for tightening the fastener means and adjustably clamping the resilient means.

6. A ball bat, comprisingr in combination a pair of bat sections, fel-rules over the abutting ends ot said sections having seating depressions therein, a ball engaging in a socket of one otl said ferrnles, a stem axially extending from the ball in said section and through the ferrnle holding said ball and adapted for slidably extending through the other of said sections to project exteriorly thereof, an adjustable nut for engaging the projecting end of said stein, and resilient means seated in the depreions of Said ferrules and adapted for clamping therein by f adjusting of the nut upon said stem.

7. A ball but comprising a hand engaging section and a ball hitting section, the hund engaging section having un axial passageway therethrough, a ball and socket joint connected to the ball hitting section on an end thereof, the ball of said joint having n relatively long shank provided with a screw threaded end which is adapted for movable disposition in the passageway of the hand engaging bat section so that the screw threaded end thereof extends exterior-ly of the hand engaging section, a resilient melliber adapted for disposition intermediate the facing ends of the but sections, and a nut for adjustably engaging the screw threaded end of said ball shank, adapted for adjustment thereon whereby the bat sections may be relatively moved for clamping said resilient member therebetween.

JOHN HENRY LANGFORD.

lll) 

